The story of Amy and Severus
by AmyWeasley83
Summary: Amy is a sensimensmagus, meaning she can sense the emotions of other people and share her thoughts with other people without talking to them. But those days she doesn't seem to be able to control her powers. And that's where the trouble starts...
1. A new year

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except for Amy. Though, of course, her last name and her family also belongs to J.K.Rowling.

Plot: A/U. Well, Amy is in her sixth year at Hogwarts and something happens that changes her life and that of Snape as well.

Chapter 1: A new year

The early morning sun shone through the window of the girl's dormitory up in Gryffindor tower on the second of September. Amy Weasley opened her eyes sleepily when she felt the warm light on her face. She looked around at the other beds in the room. Jessica, Ruth, Mandy and Sarah, her roommates, still seemed to be asleep. As quietly as possible she got up and got went to the bathroom to wash herself and get changed. Wondering whether her brothers would already be up, she went down to the Great Hall to have an early breakfast.

As she had thought, Charlie and Bill were not yet there. She was just helping her to some toast when two rough hands closed around her eyes.

"Guess who!" a very familiar voice said from behind her.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe you're my oh so funny brother Charlie," she said in a thoughtful tone.

"No, it's not," said her brother and the hands lifted from her eyes.

She blinked for a moment, then realised that she had been tricked as her twin brother was sitting opposite her. She turned around and looked up into Bill's grinning face.

"How dare you," she laughed. Her older brother sat down next to her.

"How come you're already up?"

"I wanted to beat the famous Head Boy Bill Weasley for once in my life."

"Very funny, "he smirked.

They started on their breakfast. Soon the Great Hall started to fill. Professor McGonagall started to walk down the long table, handing out timetables. Amy gazed down at hers, when she heard Charlie moan.

"What's wrong with you? That's not that bad!"

"Are you kidding? Look at today! Double Potions first and then History of Magic! Just because you are the best in Potions doesn't mean I have to like it."

Amy went slightly pink. "I'm not the best in Potions."

"'Course you are," said Bill after swallowing down a mouthful of coffee. "Anyway, I'm not better off than you, double Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."

"By the way, you only like Potions because of Snape," Charlie grinned at her.

"No I don't!" Amy blushed even more.

"You had a crush on him in our second year."

"I was twelve! He was a new teacher!"

"So?"

Amy looked around. All around them fellow students were having breakfast. "Nothing. It's nothing. I'm just learning hard."

Charlie and Bill exchanged looks that made Amy sure that they'd come back to the topic later. She was quite relieved when her twin checked his watch and thought it better to get their bags and head off to the dungeons.

Charlie and Amy settled down in their dark corner of Snape's dungeon as usual. The door fell shut with a loud crash and the Potions master swept up to the front of the class.

"I want to make it clear once and for all. Only those of you who have achieved an "Outstanding" in their Potions O.W.L. examination will have the pleasure to carry on with this subject next year." His eyes darted through the room and fixed for a second on Amy. "Still," he continued, "I expect the same effort of those who failed to do so. Today you will brew the Freezing Draft. If brewed properly, this potion will freeze the drinker in an instant. If not, he will freeze slowly and die. Instructions on the board." He flicked his wand at the board, where the ingredients and instruction for the Freezing Draft appeared.

Everybody started to work immediately. The potion proved to be quite difficult, but Amy had mastered worse than this. It appeared, however, that some of the others had rather big problems, especially Ethel Fredericks, whose cauldron exploded halfway through the lesson and caused quite a diversion when Simon Rosier, an enormous Slytherin, was hit by some of the liquid and suddenly grew frost boils. Snape swooped down on poor Ethel within a second.

"What, for heaven's sake, have you forgotten to do? Can you at least tell me?"

Ethel was so shocked and frightened of Snape that all she could do was shake her head.

"Miss Weasley?" he asked in a bored voice without looking away from Ethel.

"Stirr ten times clockwise after adding the boomslang skin," Amy answered from the other side of the room, sitting in front of her finished potion.

"Correct. That's zero marks for today, Miss Fredericks." He turned around and gazed at Amy. "I suppose you have finished your Freezing Draft, Miss Weasley? Take Rosier up to the hospital wing then." Amy sighed, filled a sample of her potion into a glass phial, corked it, gave it to Snape and guided Rosier out of the dungeon, who was now shivering all over.

After explaining to Madam Pomfrey what had happened, there was only enough time left for Amy to return to Snape's dungeon and getting her bag before History of Magic. Nice way to spend your break, she thought, taking that Slytherin bloke up to the hospital wing...

When she arrived in the Entrance Hall, she saw Charlie, who had brought along her bag, waiting for her.

"Oh, thanks!" she said, shouldering her things.

"It's ok," her brother replied as they headed of for Professor Binns' classroom. "By the way, Snape said that everyone who wanted to do a N.E.W.T. in Potions should turn up to a talk to him."

"Well, fine. But what does he want that for?"

"Maybe he wants to talk us out of it," he shrugged. "As if we were doing it just for the fun of it."

They reached Professor Binns class and settled down.

"Well, didn't he say when we should turn up at his office?" Amy said as she pulled out parchment, quill and A History of Magic.

"I guess after dinner is best," Charlie answered and folded his arms.

_I'll do that tonight, then_, thought Amy.

"Oh don't do that!" Charlie said suddenly.

"What?" Amy asked nonplussed.

"Tell me your thoughts! I thought you were controlling that."

"Oh, well, sorry," Amy stammered. She hadn't realised she had transported her thoughts. She was a sensimensmagus, meaning she could for one transport her thoughts to other people, and also could sense the emotions of other people. Actually she was controlling this power all the time, as having so many emotions around her at school made her head ache. She hadn't transported thoughts to anybody for over a year as well. Just then Professor Binns came gliding in through the blackboard as usual and put a stop to her thoughts. She grabbed her quill and started taking notes.

Lunch would have been a nice time if Bill hadn't bored Amy and Charlie with a long talk about his Ancient Runes essay that would take him hours to write. Finally Charlie tried to bring him off his track.

"So, what's next for you?" he asked.

"What? Oh, it's Transfiguration and Charms. What've you got?"

Amy glanced down her timetable. "Care of Magical Creatures and Transfiguration. That's not that bad."

Sure enough, the afternoon proved to be rather enjoyable. Professor Kettleburn made them take care of a bunch of Kneazles that had a bad cold and Professor McGonagall had them turn pigs into hams and back again. Smiling, Amy settled down at the Gryffindor table for dinner and helped herself to some chicken-and-ham pie.

"What are you smiling about?" Bill asked as he sat down opposite her.

_I won't tell him yet_, she thought, _let's see how long it keeps asking_.

"Well, then don't tell me," Bill said. "What's she smiling about, Charlie?"

Amy lifted an eyebrow. "You heard my thoughts?"

"Yeah, you should control that a bit better, you know," Bill answered grinning.

"I try, I just don't know why it doesn't work properly today."

"So what is so good that you smile as if you'd found a bag of Galleons. You haven't found a bag of Galleons, have you?"

"No, but I just got awarded ten points by McGonagall."

"What for?"

"Oh, you should have seen it," said Charlie. "She turned her pig into a ham and back again so fast that Ethel got sick from watching. McGonagall was so impressed and happy she awarded ten points for it."

"Yeah, and then she asked me to take Ethel to the hospital wing because she had thrown up over her ham."

Having retold the story of poor Ethel, Amy didn't feel all to hungry anymore. Five minutes later she got up and headed off for the dungeons. Another five minutes later she was standing in front of Snape's office. Hoping he was already inside, she rapped on the door.


	2. Thoughts

Disclaimer: Don't own anything… sniff

Note: I know the last chapter was a bit lame, but it's my first fanfiction ever and I think it's important to give a bit of a background before jumping into action...

Chapter Two: Thoughts

Amy waited for the door to open. She knew better not to enter without being asked to. Just when she thought that her Potions master was not there, the door to the dungeon opened and from inside came Snape's voice.

"Come in, Miss Weasley."

Amy entered the room and looked around. She had only been in here two times before. Once, in her first year, because the former Potions teacher, Professor Froggs, had acknowledged her talent for Potion making and gave her a very interesting book for some extra reading, and once last year, to ask Professor Snape whether he could tell her some books she could read to prepare for her O.W.L. Now, Snape was sitting behind his desk, a toad in a terrarium in front of him and several samples of what Amy was sure was the Freezing Draft they had brewed this morning. He indicated at the table on the other side of his desk.

"Sit down, Miss Weasley."

Amy looked slightly startled as Snape had not once looked up from his work. How did he know it was her, even before the door had opened?

"You should work more to control you sensimensmagus powers. I heard your thoughts as clearly as if you were shouting them into my ear. Now, I suppose your brother has told you that I demand of every pupil who wants to do a N.E.W.T. in my class to see me."

"Yes sir."

"Well," he said, finally looking up, his black eyes piercing into hers. "As you have always received top grades in my class, I see have no objections to this. It might interest you that you received one hundred and twenty- five percent in your Ordinary Wizarding Level. However, this should not stop from giving your best in future. I expect you to continue with your work as usual."

"Yes, sir."

Snape nodded slightly. "Very well, you may leave."

"Yes, sir."

Amy got up from the chair and had already reached the door, her hand reaching the handle, when Snape spoke once more.

"Miss Weasley?"

Amy turned around, one eyebrow raised.

"You should really work harder on controlling your powers. People might use your thoughts against you."

"Yes, sir."

She left the dungeon and closed the door behind her. Snape cared if people used her thoughts against her? Still wondering about this, she realised she was, again, not even trying to seal her mind and hurried of to the Gryffindor common room, trying to think of nothing but getting there as fast as possible. Out of breath she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"You know, as a Prefect you should not be running in the corridors. You're supposed to give an example to younger students," the portrait said reproachfully.

"Mandragora," said Amy and the portrait swung back and let her get into the common room.

Amy spotted her brothers at once. They were sitting by the window, deeply absorbed in conversation. Amy walked over to them and slumped down in a chair next to Charlie.

"Hey, what did Snape say?" her twin asked.

"Oh, nothing particular. Well, he said I should try to control my thoughts better."

"Did he?" said Bill, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well, he said people might use them against me."

"Funny, isn't it? I can't remember Snape ever caring about his students."

"Hey, maybe he fancies you!" Charlie laughed.

"Oh, shut up!" Amy exclaimed.

"You like him?" Bill asked, patting her knee.

"No! Well, I don't know. There's something about him... but..."

Charlie had stopped laughing. He and Bill were staring straight at their sister.

"Oh, I'm going to bed!" Amy stood up and rushed of to the girls' dormitory, rather pink in the face.

The boys looked after her quite perplexed.

"She fancies Snape!" Charlie breathed.

"Definitely," said Bill, whose mouth dropped open.

Amy found it very hard that night to fall asleep. She was concentrating very hard on keeping her thoughts to her, but at the same time seemed to feel the emotions of the whole Gryffindor House, if not even of the whole school. Her head was soon aching so hard she got out of bed again and drank a glass of water. Only it didn't seem to help much. When she got up the next morning she hadn't slept for more than an hour. Her headache was as bad as it had been during the night and when she finally fainted during Herbology Professor Sprout had to let Charlie take her to the hospital wing. After some hours, Amy was able to go back to the common room – thanks to some sleep and a bit of Madam Pomfrey magical headache potion. She met Bill in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"What was up with you? You're ok? Charlie said something about a headache," he asked looking at her with concern written in his eyes.

"Thoughts," she said simply. "Mandragora."

They entered the common room and sat down in their usual spot by the window. Charlie was already there.

"What do you mean? Thoughts?" Bill asked curiously.

"Well, I was concentrating very hard on keeping my thoughts to myself, but then I couldn't concentrate on keeping the emotions of others away from me."

"How come you can't? I've been doing it for ages?"

"I don't know. I'm doing it right now, I just sometimes seem to forget."

"So you're fine again, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Well, reckon we should start on our homework?"

She pulled her books, parchment and quills out of her bag and started working. Slowly the common room emptied as more and more people went into their dormitories. Finally there were just the three Weasleys left.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," said Charlie when he put down his quill shortly after midnight. "Snape was asking where you were."

"Did he? What did he say?" Amy looked up from her essay for Professor Binns.

"Something like 'Where is Miss Weasley? She shouldn't be away too long, she might loose track.' The usual grumpy stuff."

"Oh. Okay."

Bill put down his quill as well. "What did you expect? If you want to know whether he fancies you or not, just read his feelings."

"First of all, I don't read feelings, I sense them. And I'd never do that!"

"But you do fancy him, don't you?" Charlie teased her.

"Oh fine, so I do."

"Creepy."

"So what?"

"Now Amy, don't get upset," Bill said. "It's fine, it's you're heart, nobody can be blamed for his emotions."

"Well, okay, but I'm not getting upset. I'm going to bed." Amy got up und climbed the staircase to her dormitory.

Now that Amy had finally admitted to her brothers that she did feel something for Snape she found it quite hard to concentrate on anything at all, especially at Potions. The next lesson she found herself staring at her potion without taking any notice that it was already finished. In the Great Hall during breakfast she kept staring up at the staff table until Charlie pushed her so hard in the ribs that she spilled the coffee she was holding all over her plate.

Two weeks later she was already dreaming about Snape with open eyes whenever she could risk it. If she hadn't been so good at Potions she might have blown up the whole dungeon, with her eyes fixed on her teacher. In the afternoon on the same day, the were taken outside by Professor Kettleburn to the edge of the Forbidden Forest to find feed Bowtruckles as there seemed to be a natural low on woodlice these days. Amy and Charlie crossed the grounds, shortly followed by a group of Slytherin girls. Just when Amy was stopping to think of Snape, he crossed their way on his way up to the castle. Isn't he just gorgeous, Amy thought. Charlie stopped dead, staring at her, and behind her one of the girls tripped over her own feet.

"Amy!" Charlie exclaimed.

Amy was white in the face as she realised what had happened. "Oh dear..." she mumbled and hurried off to get to class faster, trying to avoid the stares and ugly grins of the Slytherin girls as they reached the edge of the forest.


	3. The Blindfold Jinx

Disclaimer: I don't own a single thing!

Note: So now I think we can jump into action, finally. Please note that this chapter contains some violence, as may the next one, if ever I get to write it next to my normal job. So if you are extremely sensible of violence (there's not sooo much in it!), you might want to not read it...

Chapter Three: The Blindfold Jinx

All the lesson Amy tried to stay away from her fellow students. She didn't really want to see somebody, she wanted to hide away and cry her eyes out. In some distance she heard Professor Kettleburn shout: "All right, you can stop searching the Bowtruckles, the class is over. Go back to the castle for your next class please."

She didn't want to go back up to the castle, to see even more pupils. All her classmates were way out of sight, and for once she was even happy not to see Charlie. Suddenly she thought she heard a rustle of footsteps somewhere behind her. Before she could even turn around, the forest vanished from her sight and she was pushed forwards, deeper into the Forbidden Forest.

Amy stumbled and tripped over some roots and fell. She cried out in pain when her knees and her palms were scratched deeply by stones on the floor and her robes tore. Her arms stretched out, she felt her way through the forest. She needed to find out of there, there were bad things in the forest and she could not see a thing. Panic flooded her head. The young girl had no idea where she was and every few steps a branch hit her face and left some cuts. All around her was silence. Black, cold silence.

Suddenly Amy stopped dead. She heard a loud crack that echoed through the high trees.

"Hello? Who's there?"

"What do you do in my forest?"

"Your forest? But this is the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts. This... who are you?"

"What do you do in my forest?"

"I... what..."

"Answer, human!"

"I don't understand! What do you mean? Listen I need..."

"Get out of my forest!"

"I can't!"

"This is my last warning! Get out of my forest!"

"Now you listen! I can't get out because..."

But Amy could not finish her sentence. Something hard smashed into her chest and sent her to the floor. The crack she heard, the pain she felt made her know that her rips had broken. She screamed, the pain seemed to kill her. Amy tried to stand up, but just as she was back on her knees another hard hit in the back sent her back to the forest floor. Another scream and she stayed lying on the floor, cradled up and sobbing.

"Get out of my forest!" the voice roared again.

"I... I... told you... I... can't... I... I... can't..."

Suddenly she remembered. There was only one way to get help. Amy was a sensimensmagus after all, so her only chance was to concentrate on telling somebody were she was by her thoughts.

I need help, I'm in the Forbidden Forest and can't see anything, but I'm being attacked by somebody! Please, somebody help me!

"Nobody can help you!"

I need help, I'm in the Forbidden Forest! I need help, I'm in the Forbidden Forest! I need help, I'm in the Forbidden Forest!

Something collided with Amy's head and she all around her became dark.

Amy tried to open her eyes, but the pain was too intense, she could only see through slits. Still, she could see again. But all was blurred, she could not see where she was, not who was with her, she couldn't even tell if she was in or outside. She could hear people talking though.

"This was very close. What did she do in that forest?"

"She was blinded, Poppy. I do not think she knew where she was."

Amy heard a door crash open and a grumpy and sort of upset voice said loudly: "I told you, Weasley, she is in no condition for you to see."

"Don't tell me she's in no condition, Professor! I want to see her! Charlie's having a breakdown from concern. She's my sister after all!"

"Bill, you may see your sister for a moment. But I must ask you to leave then. I have already informed your parents and they will be here by tomorrow. Meanwhile you need to care about your brother."

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore, sir. Thank you."

Amy heard footsteps approach and stop right next to her. "Oh God..." she heard her older brother say. "Amy..." Charlie stroked her head, stiffling a little sob.

Amy wanted to say that it's okay, that he didn't need to be upset, but she could not speak. It was as if her lips were glued together. Her mind gave instructions but her body refused to act.

"I think you better go now, Bill."

"Yes, Professor." One last time Amy felt her brother's hand stroke her head before he left.

"Poppy, I think you better go and give Charlie Weasley something to calm him down."

Another couple of footsteps and Amy knew that Madam Pomfrey had also left the hospital wing. Again footsteps came near her. She felt a soft hand stroke her arm and somebody sat down on the side of her bed.

"Thank God you found her, Severus. I do not know what would have happened if you had not."

"Yes, sir. Still, I feel guilty. It was somebody from my house, who put that jinx on her. You heard Miss Elliot... Just out of hatred... Just because..."

"Just because she loves you. Strange as it might seem to you, Severus, and I know it does. And I know you have deep feelings towards her as well."

Amy thought she was turning really red right now, but hoped she did not. Dumbledore knew... probably the whole school knew... and Snape had feelings for her? Her world was turning upside down.

"But this isn't right. She's my student. She's only sixteen."

"And you are the youngest teacher we have had at Hogwarts for quite some time, Severus. There are loopholes in the rules of this school. Maybe I should tell you about it..."

But Albus Dumbledore stopped in the middle of his sentence when Amy finally managed to open her eyes and had tried to move which caused her to groan in pain. The headmaster and Severus Snape turned around in surprise. Dumbledore strode forwards and grabbed her shoulder softly.

"Now, now, Amy. Stay where you are. You are in no state to sit up right now. Can you tell us what happened down in the forest?"

But Amy's eyes were fixed upon Severus' for some seconds and before she could answered she had dropped off to sleep again.


	4. Memories

Disclaimer: Oh, you know!

Note: Well, you know, I really would appreciate some review, if you don't mind. I can't improve if nobody tells me what he does or doesn't like.

Chapter Four: Memories

When Amy woke up, she didn't know whether it was night or day. The hangings around her bed were drawn close and she still had trouble with her eyes. She struggled to sit up, but at the same time realised that her arms just didn't support her and sank back into her pillow. What had happened? Slowly, the memory came back. At least the tiny bits of memory she could bear to remember right now. The hangings were drawn back, sunlight flooding the bed, and Madam Pomfrey appeared.

"Oh good, you're finally awake, dear. The headmaster will come here in a few minutes. He wants to talk to you." The look on Poppy's face clearly told Amy that she didn't really approve of this, but then again she couldn't keep Dumbledore from talking to the student anyway.

"Where's... where's Professor Snape?" Amy tried to ask, but was not sure whether Mamdam Pomfrey had understood her. Her voice was barely audible, a hoarse whisper and not the melodic voice that usually was her's.

"I'm here, Amy."

The Potions master stepped out of the shadows of the hangings and sat down on her bed again, just like he had done before. Amy stretched out her hand feebly and Severus took it into his own two hands.

"Amy, I... I don't know... how to say it, but..."

"I know," she said simply and gave him a weak smile.

Just then Albus Dumbledore entered the hospital wing and strode over to the two of them. His light blue eyes didn't twinkle like usual, but were full of concern. With a single flick of his wand he conjured up a chair and seated himself next to the bed.

"Amy, I hope you are feeling a bit better now."

Amy nodded slightly and sat up shaking, supported by Snape.

"Very good. Now, I know this might be hard for you. But I need you to tell me what exactly what has happened yesterday. Severus, you may stay here. Perhaps it is better for Miss Weasley to have some comfort at hand."

"I... I was down on the edge of the forest with the rest of my Care of Magical Creatures class. Professor told us to find Bowtruckles and feed them. So we went off in different directions. I... I was sort of alone at the end of class and heard something come near. I wanted to look around but... I couldn't see anymore... was pushed deeper into the forest... Fell down and tried to find my way out of the forest. And then... then..."

Amy stopped in her speech as tears started to fill her eyes. Now she remembered everything. The pain, the panic, the complete loneliness and weakness. She could not fight the memories, didn't have the strength to withstand them. All she could do was give in. Her head dropped forwards onto Severus shoulder and she started to sob uncontrollably. Snape held her tight and stroked the back of her head calmingly.

"Amy, I know this is hard for you," Dumbledore spoke again, and now also his voice was full of concern, "but I need to know the rest of it."

The young girl sat upright again and nodded slowly. "I don't know what happened, I couldn't see anything. But there was a voice... saying I should leave his forest... but I couldn't... I didn't know how... and then... it... it... attacked me... kicked me, I think... something... in my chest... and the pain... panicked... my back... send help... I... unconscious..."

Again Amy had started crying, more intensely with every word, every memory. She was back in Severus' arms, who whispered words of calm and comfort into her ear.

"Thank you, Amy," Dumbledore spoke up again. "Now maybe you want to know the whole story, as far as I am informed. When you sent your thoughts out, Severus heard them first. He filled me in and we went directly into the forest. When we found you, you were already unconscious. Severus brought you up to the castle while I myself questioned the attacker, the Centaur Wolfe. Your story confirmed what he told me. He is to be punished by his own race, and will be excluded from the herd. Just as I reached the castle again, a student came up to me and told me that she had overheard Miss Elliot of Slytherin House tell her friends that she had put a Blindfold Jinx on you and pushed you into the forest. When Professor Snape and I questioned her, she admitted everything."

Amy had nearly calmed back down. She had finally stopped crying, but her breathing was still sort of irregular. She looked up into the eyes of the headmaster.

"All teachers will decide upon the punishment of Miss Elliot. Also she will be heard by a Ministry Official." Dumbledore sighed and stared at the floor for a moment. "Madam Pomfrey told me that your bones have all been mended and you should be more or less painless. Can you confirm this?"

Amy nodded her head again, but not as weakly as she had been before.

"Very good," Dumbledore smiled approvingly. "Because your mother and your brothers and your sister are waiting outside and I'm afraid if Molly doesn't get to see you soon she will go berserk."

The headmaster got up and walked over to the door. Snape also made to stand up but Amy grabbed his hand.

"Severus, please, don't leave..."

"I'll come back later. Your family wants to see you. But I'll return."

He stroked her head and put some pillows behind her back so she could sit up properly. Then he kissed her on the forehead and turned to leave.

"Severus?"

He turned around, his hand already on the door handle, and raised one eyebrow.

"You promise to come back?"

"Cross my heart," he said and Amy saw, for the first time in her life, an honest smile on the face of Severus Snape.

The moment Severus opened the door he was nearly flattened by a stampede of Weasleys. Madam Pomfrey rushed to his help.

"Please, I know you all want to see her, but I must ask you to see her in pairs of two. And only five minutes each."

Charlie opened his mouth to complain but his mother gave him the hand of his youngest brother and put her baby daughter into Bill's arm before striding towards Amy's bed with her third son Percy.

"Mom," Amy breathed as her mother pulled her into a tight hug. "It's ok, but you're strangling me!"

Molly Weasley didn't answer, obviously lost for words, but still she let go of her daughter and simply wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"Hi Percy!"

The young girl ruffled through the red hair of the little boy with glasses who was standing shyly next to his mother. He didn't say anything either but when Amy opened her arms he hugged her very tight, just like his mother. Molly was meanwhile continually flattening Amy's hair and brushing it out of her face.

"I'm happy you're here."

Finally, her mother spoke: "I know dear. Your father couldn't get away from work, but he will come to see you tomorrow."

Amy nodded and hugged her mother and brother before they went away and she was stormed by her little brothers Fred and George, who embraced her one from each side of the bed.

"Hullo guys," she said happily as the twins jumped onto her bed.

George, who liked her best of all his older siblings, looked up into her face. "Does it hurt, Amy?"

"Oh no, George, I'm fine, you'll see. Give me a few days and I'll be as good as new."

Both twins looked rather unsure at her, but still cuddled close to her for the few remaining minutes before they as well had to leave.

Next and to Amy's surprise came her youngest brother and her only sister. Ron and Ginny were holding hands and looked up with big eyes.

"Get well, Emi!" Ginny exclaimed, making her sister smile broadly. Ginny still had problems saying her name properly, but then again she was only four years old.

Ron pulled his left hand out of behind his back and passed to Amy a tiny, old looking teddy bear. "You take Bert."

"Oh Ron, thank you. But he's your baby! Don't you want to keep it?" Amy asked quite touched. She knew how much the old bear meant to her little brother.

"He takes care of you," Ron simply said.

Amy pulled Bert to her chest and patted Ron's and Ginny's head before they ran back to their mother. Only a few moments later Bill and Charlie appeared. When Amy saw her twin she felt suddenly horrible. Charlie was white as the wall and when he refused to let go of her after hugging her, Bill just had to fling his arms around the both of them. They just remained like this, and Amy felt hot tears running down her cheek from Charlie's eyes. Finally Madam Pomfrey came up to them and told them that Amy needed to rest now.

"I'm ok. Don't worry," Amy whispered into her twin's ear before her brothers left with the rest of their family.

Note: citcat299: If Amy is a Mary Sue then so am I, and I like her. Oh, and by the way I know that Ginny is the only girl in the Weasley family, but one can still have some imagination, right?


	5. Loopholes and batties

Disclaimer: don't own anything!

Chapter Five: Loopholes and batties

The following hours Amy lay mostly awake, staring at the ceiling. She supposed that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't have let anyone near her even if she was threatened with death. The young witch thought about all she had heard since she had been brought to the hospital wing. About what had happened down in the forest, what Snape had said mostly. She still couldn't believe it, thought she had only imagined it. Snape had deep feelings for her. This could not be. Over her thoughts she must have fallen asleep, for when she opened her eyes night had nearly fallen outside and a dark shadow was hovering over her.

"Amy? Are you awake?" It was Severus Snape.

Amy nodded slowly as the young teacher sat softly down on the edge of her bed. She lifted her hand slightly and he took it into his own two hands.

"Amy… I'm…"

"It's ok," she interrupted him.

For a few minutes neither of them spoke. They just remained silent, staring into each other's eyes.

"What DO we do?" Amy asked desperately after some time.

Severus looked away. "There are several loopholes. The headmaster told me about them." During the next hour he explained everything to the girl Dumbledore had told him.

"Did you understand everything?" Snape stopped for some seconds and realized he was becoming slightly pink. "Not that I think you don't understand it. I mean… I didn't mean to sound as if…"

Amy lied her hand onto his knee and interrupted his speech. "I know, Severus. Don't you think about it."

Amy felt her eyelids drop. Though she had slept for what must have been nearly the whole afternoon, she felt as tired as if she had been awake for days and weeks. She fought hard to open her eyes again and her effort didn't escape the young teacher.

"Do you want to sleep again? Should I leave you to rest?"

"Yes. And no."

Snape lifted one eyebrow, one thing the young witch only knew too well and loved so much.

"Can't you stay until I'm asleep? I'm rather scared of my dreams. The memories flood my mind whenever I give them the chance."

Severus smiled. "Sure, dear." He stroked her head softly as she turned on her right side and finally closed her eyes.

The sun on her face awoke Amy the next morning. Somebody had drawn back the hangings around her bed and when she looked around, she saw the familiar shape of her father sitting in the chair next to her bed. Arthur Weasley seemed to be fast asleep himself, so his daughter sat up quietly and tried to softly touch his hand. Her father stirred and opened his eyes.

"Amy! You're awake!" He embraced her heartily and sat back in the chair where he straightened his slightly lopsided glasses. "How are you, dear? Oh no, that was a silly question."

"I'm fine, Dad."

"Are you really?"

"Well… no. But I'm better."

"Good. Good." Her father patted her shoulder and fell silent, but not for long. "Oh, I brought you something!"

"What is it?" Amy had always been very fond of her father's presents. His fondness of Muggles always got Amy a lot of funny things she liked to collect in a trunk in her room at her parent's house, the Burrow.

Mr Weasley gave her a big, strangely wrapped package. He must have wrapped it himself, Amy thought, he's never been good at this.

Her dad looked at her curiously. "Go on, open it! I hope you like it, I wasn't sure what to bring so I brought it all."

When Amy opened it two books fell into her lap, along with a funny plastic box, a sort of machine with earmuffs on a string attached to it and a little package of heavy little rolls. Amy looked at it in surprise. "What are they?"

"Oh, that's a cassette." He pointed at the small plastic box. "You open it and take the thing inside. Then you put it in the machine and put on the earmuffs. The rolls are called batties. Well, something like that anyway. You put them in the machine as well and then you push the biggest button and it plays music."

"Merlin's beard, where did you GET them?"

"Oh, they were jinxed! They made the listener fall asleep for over a week… They aren't anymore!" He added hastily when he saw the shocked look on his daughter's face. "Honestly, they're all right."

"Thanks, Dad." Amy looked at the two books. The first one was wound in leather and had golden letters on it, reading "William Shakespeare, Completed Works". The other read "Oxford Illustrated Encyclopaedia". "Cool, is that a Muggle Encyclopaedia?"

"Yes, it used to bite off fingers before we preformed the counter-jinx."

"Oh. And the other one?"

"That should be all right. Kingsley got it for me on a Muggle market. You know I don't understand Muggle money." Mr Weasley threw a glance at his wristwatch. "Oh dear, just look at the time! I'm sorry darling, but I must be back in the office right after lunch."

"It's ok, Dad. I'm happy you came to visit me."

"I'm really sorry, Amy."

"Never mind. Just give a kiss to my little ones."

Her father kissed her on the forehead and left the hospital wing. When he was gone, Amy opened the encyclopaedia and began to read. She had just found the small rolls her dad had called batties and identified them as batteries, when the door at the far end of the room opened again and Albus Dumbledore walked swiftly into the room.

"Good afternoon, Amy."

"Good afternoon, sir."

Dumbledore sat down on the chair Mr Weasley had sat on not even an hour ago. "I have good news for you. As Madam Pomfrey has told me this morning, you are as good as new and may leave the hospital wing tomorrow evening."

Amy looked up at the headmaster in surprise. "Oh, that's great. I was so hoping I could leave soon."

"I do understand you, Amy, but there are certain things I should warn you about. For one, as we have tried to keep secret what happened to you in the Forbidden Forest, of course, the whole school knows. Now, the students have been asked, not to confront you with all the rumours and speculations they have heard. But still people might want to ignore that."

Amy nodded slowly. She hadn't thought about the attack the whole morning and now memories started to come back.

"And, some pupils heard what you thought about Severus when you saw him. They may not know what he feels for you, but still some of them are sure to try and bully you. I ask you to stay calm. I know this is a lot to ask for. But I'm sure Severus told you about several loopholes."

Amy nodded again.

"Then you know why it is important to keep certain things to yourself. Now I think your brothers are looking forward to see you this evening after dinner. I see your father has provided you with some reading for the meantime. Ah yes, Shakespeare. I have a completed works myself. I recommend "Romeo and Juliet" if you like to read romances." The headmaster winked and left the hospital wing again.

Amy opened up the second book and started to read.


	6. The Sentence of the Centaurs

Disclaimer: I don't own anything...

Note: Hey DuelJewel, this is for you :-). Though I was thinking of writing this as chapter six anyway. It's a bit shorter than I wanted it to be, but I'm having a bad cold. I'm afraid Amy might turn a bit more Mary Sue-ish, but well… who cares.

Chapter Six: The Sentence of the Centaurs

Amy was still absorbed in her book when she heard some noise outside the door. Night had fallen and she put away the Shakespeare, curious on what was going on outside. Just then the door opened and a huge bouquet of flowers came flying through the door, all the way down the beds and landed on her lap. 'Puzzled' could not express the look on Amy's face. But then Bill and Charlie entered the Hospital Wing with wide grins on their faces that explained everything.

"Hullo, sis!" Charlie laughed and sat down on her bed.

"Hi, dear," Bill said and slightly kissed his little sister on her forehead.

"You guys are ever so thick. Thick, but sweet," Amy grinned.

"Don't you like our little present? They're your favourites, aren't they?"

Charlie was quite right, the red gerberas were her favourite flowers and they made her heart light as she stuck her nose in the bouquet and smelled the soft scent.

"McGonagall said you'll be back with us tomorrow evening. Is that true?"

"Yeah, Dumbledore said I could. But I'm not sure if I want to."

"What do you mean, you don't want to?" Charlie asked surprised.

"You're scared, right? You don't want to know what the others think about you," Bill said in a soft voice.

Amy nodded. "And I don't want to be bullied for my feelings because I'm not capable for my feelings. It's not my fault I fell in love with a teacher."

"They won't bully you."

"And why is that?"

Charlie pulled a fist. "Because I'll give them hell if they do."

"Nobody will bully you, Amy. Well, the Slytherins might, but it's just normal for them."

"Now that really lifts my spirits. Oh well, I think I'll be fine."

"I hope that damn Centaur gets what he deserves."

Amy looked straight into Charlie's eyes. "You know what will happen to him?"

"I only heard that the Centaurs will decide on the punishment. Guess he'll be killed. You know about their rules concerning the innocent."

Amy couldn't hide the shock on her face. A death sentence… "Oh well, we'll see what will happen. Guys, I'm sort of tired. Do you mind if I went to sleep? I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Bill and Charlie exchanged a puzzled look but got up and wished their sister a good night before leaving.

A death sentence… Amy closed her eyes and concentrated. She had to talk to somebody important… someone who could talk to the centaurs down in the Forest. Somebody they respected… Dumbledore!

Just when she had come up with the idea, the door of the hospital wing opened and Albus Dumbledore swiftly entered the room. With twinkling eyes he swept down the row of beds and sat down on a chair next to Amy's bed.

"Miss Weasley, you wanted to talk to me?"

"Well… yes, sir," Amy answered, deeply confused. "How did you get here so fast?"

Dumbledore's smile broadened. "I didn't want to confuse you, Amy, I was just a corridor away when I heard you. So what is it you want to talk about?"

Amy sighed deeply before talking again. "Sir, my brothers just told me that the Centaurs will decide on Wolfe's punishment."

"That's how it has always been and how it will be this time."

"But what will happen to him? Charlie said something about a death sentence…"

"That is indeed the most probable decision. The rules concerning fowls, sorry, the innocent, are quite strict."

"But nobody deserves a death sentence! A death sentence is no more than a murder and is as much a crime as anything!"

"If the Centaurs should not judge on this crime, who else should? The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures would decide the same way."

"You know what I think about them! No, but what would you decide, headmaster?"

"Like you said, Miss Weasley, nobody deserves a death sentence. I'd think a banishment would do. But, again, I'm not to decide on this matter."

"Couldn't I? I'm still the victim. It would be just fair if I was to decide. I have always been on good terms with the Centaurs."

"But you are not allowed to leave the castle yet, Miss Weasley."

"When will Wolfe be sentenced?"

"Tomorrow evening. The verdict will directly be fulfilled."

Amy's thoughts worked through her brain. There had to be a way… "You! Professor Dumbledore, sir, you could talk to them."

"If that is your wish, I will try to convince them."

"That's very kind of you, sir."

"This will have to be done quickly, so I must leave. I will tell you all about the conversation tomorrow. I think you should get some rest before returning to your classmates tomorrow evening."

"Yes, sir. And thank you again."

"I can't promise you anything, Miss Weasley. Good night." Dumbledore got up and turned to leave.

"Good night, Professor."

Amy did a quick spell to know the time. The bewitched watch she used to have had broken during the attack. Half past nine. She lay down in her bed again and closed her eyes, but her troubled thoughts were holding back sleep. Nobody deserved a death sentence, not even for a crime such as this.

"Amy?" a soft voice carried all the way through the hospital wing to her bed.

She opened her eyes and sat up again. "Severus?"

Snape stood by the door and now came over to her bed. "I didn't know if you were still awake. You seemed to be fast asleep."

"I wish I was," she sighed as the Potions Master sat down on her bed.

"And why is that? Is it about the Sentence for the Centaur?"

"You know?"

"Only the rumours that haunt the school. They say he'll be sentenced to death."

"Not if my plan works."

Snape fixed her eyes with his. "What do you mean?"

"Severus, I don't want him to be killed, nobody deserves to die. So Professor Dumbledore and I made up a plan."

Snape stroked Amy's long red hair. "You are to good for this world at times, you know. But what is that plan?"

She shortly told him everything she and the headmaster had talked about. "And now I can't sleep, because I can't stop thinking about it all."

Severus took her in his arms. "And what if I stay with you until you're asleep?"

He lay Amy back into her pillow and placed himself next to her. She cuddled up to him and soon dropped off into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	7. Upside down

A/N: Thanks DuelJewel for beta-reading. Hope you'll like the next chapter :-)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but you've ever heard of before. crieseyesout

Chapter 7: Upside down

The next morning passed by ever so slowly. Amy sat on a chair by a window in the Hospital Wing. An hour ago she had been down on the edge of the Forbidden Forest with Dumbledore. There the Centaurs had decided on Wolfe's punishment. He had been banned from the Forest and would be brought to a far off forest by Hagrid the same day.

Since she had returned to the Hospital Wing she was lost in her thoughts. You would have thought that her friends would come over to visit. But nobody had been there. Amy missed her best friends Mandy and Sarah, both Gryffindors in her year, and Jennifer, a Hufflepuff who had been appointed Head Girl that summer. She wondered what was wrong with them. They had known each other ever since they had arrived at Hogwarts six years ago and hat lived through a lot ever since. Amy remembered Jennifer's crush on Bill, and a little smile crawled over her face thinking how they now were Head Boy and Head Girl. Or in their second year when Sarah nearly blew up the castle during Potions! They had been like sisters all the time, but where were they now? They knew what had happened sure enough, moreover with Jen being Head Girl. Had they left her alone because of her feelings for Snape? Amy quickly thought of something else. The thought was just too ridiculous. She'd see Mandy and Sarah that night anyway.

Her eyes moved back to the grounds where the first years were learning how to ride a broomstick. She thought of her own Cleansweep that was still lying in her trunk up in the dormitory. Quidditch season was about to start and Amy's heart jumped at the thought of being up above the field again, now that she had permission to train again. She had been Beater for two years now and it definitely was the best way to let off some steam. Just thinking of Quidditch made her feel the air rushing around her, the soft vibration of her broom. That way she dreamed away the day until Madam Pomfrey came in with some dinner and told her that she could return to her house common room after eating. The moment she had left Amy, the young witch changed from her pyjama to her normal robes and quickly ate a bit of the broccoli and potatoes on her plate. She wanted to avoid at least some students tonight, so she left the Hospital Wing and went directly to her common room. The Fat Lady grinned down on her when she finally arrived at the Portrait Hole. She was having tea with her friend Violet.

"Oh look, Vi, it's the teacher's pet!"

Amy instantly went pink. "Oh, stop that. Mandragora!"

"I'm sorry dear. But you should know that some students actually call you like that."

Amy blushed even more.

"Oh, don't worry, 'teacher's pet' is much better than 'fat lady'! And now tell us all about you and Snape. He's got something, you know."

"Of course she knows, she's the one in love with him. I fancied him as well, but as I'm locked up in those silly portraits the thing was pretty hopeless," Violet interfered.

"I'll tell you later, ok?" Amy answered exasperated. "Just let me in ladies, I'm tired and need a shower. I promise to tell you later."

"All right, have a good night then, Amy," the Fat Lady replied, smiling, and swung back.

"Thank you, the same to you, Ma'am," Amy replied and squeezed into the common room.

After checking that everybody was still at dinner, she sat in one of the big armchairs by the crackling fireside. For once she felt safe and comfortable, but the peace was disturbed only five minutes later, when a group of fourth-years entered. Their loud conversation stopped the instant they saw her. They sat down at the other end of the room and started to whisper. The same scene occurred every few minutes from then. As more and more students returned from dinner, the whispers and hushed voices became more and more unbearable for Amy. But what hurt her most was that Mandy and Sarah directly walked off to the dormitory the moment they noticed her.

Amy was already thinking about going to Bill's dormitory where she could be alone when the Portrait Hole opened again and her brothers entered the common room. The smiles on their faces vanished when the saw Amy's miserable face.

"Hey, little sis," Bill said as he hugged her.

"Can we go up to your dorm?" Amy asked quickly after he had finished his sentence.

Charlie put his arm around his twin's shoulder. "Yeah, Bill, let's get out of here."

Up in the Head Boy's dorm Amy dropped down on the bed, hopeless. "They hate me," she muttered.

"No, they don't."

"I feel like some funny animal in the zoo."

Nobody answered, there was no arguing about this. When Amy was sure that everybody in her own dormitory was asleep, she left the boys and silently went to bed.

The next morning was as horrible as the night had been. Though Amy felt a bit better as Bill and Charlie glanced angrily at everybody who whispered too obvious or dared to stare at the Prefect.

First that day was Potions, and the young witch both feared it and looked forward to it. But things were much more difficult with the Slytherins and her in the same room. Snape ignored her all through the class, until she got so nervous from the stares and whispers from the other students, that, for the first time in her life, she completely messed up her potion with a loud bang. Black steam rose from her cauldron. Snape was there in a second, his eyes reduced to slits, his face angry as ever.

"That makes an F, Miss Weasley. Clean that up,"

Amy was so surprised and frightened that she couldn't even reply and silently began to clean. The following classes weren't any better. After her last class of the day, Transfiguration, Amy did not go to dinner, but sat in her empty dormitory, crying her eyes out. She did not understand anything anymore. The world was upside down, she felt all alone. As the clock struck eight she stood up and wiped her eyes. Looking in the little mirror on the cupboard by her bed she straightened her hair and stormed out of her dormitory. Ignoring the curious looks on the other students' faces and the surprised yell of the Fat Lady she walked down the empty corridors towards the dungeons. A strange sort of anger had built up in her heart and the mad hiss from Mrs. Norris only encouraged her. Arriving at the door to the Potions lab she rapped at the door, furious, and entered without waiting for an answer. Snape looked up surprised as she stormed up to his desk and the door fell shut behind her. Before he could say anything, Amy stopped shortly in front of him, anger glinting in her eyes, shouting at him.

"What's up with you? You don't talk to me, don't look at me, simply…" Her voice broke, but only for an instant. "…ignore me! What have I done to deserve this? After everything that happened, after everything you said to me. Once something is said it can't be taken back, can't be forgotten! How dare you say so easily that you love me and then drop me like some bloody old bat!"

Snape stood up, his hands clutching his desk, shaking with anger as well. "Miss Weasley, mind your words! You're not supposed to talk to a teacher in such a way. Professor McGonagall will definitely hear about this. As to your question, thought I see no reason to answer it at all, you're a student, you caught me in a vulnerable moment and all this was just a misunderstanding. I feel nothing for you, be sure about that. If you could leave now, I would rather finish my work than have discussions with silly little girls who think they have a crush."

Amy went pale. Snape's eyes and his voice were cold as ice, emotionless. Amy turned around and started walking towards the door when Snape spoke up again.

"Miss Weasley, take this to your Head of House."

He held up a sealed piece of parchment. Amy took it and stormed out, angry about everything, but most of all angry about herself.


End file.
